Only Because I Have To
by Owawa of Slytherin
Summary: Colette Dolohov has received news that she is to be Draco Malfoy’s wife. She returns to Hogwarts to finish her seventh year, with Draco, and is completely set against him. Draco vows to protects her and just might win her over in the process. DracoOC R
1. Chapter 1

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ok, so this is my first story! i'm expecting lots of feedback, although i don't like critics...so just tell be it good, haha. this is a Draco/OC story. originally i called her Roslyn...no it was Wyatt but i decided i didn't want that, so she ended up being Colette. i kinda like the name too. so up read plz and i'll see you at the bottom!

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*Flashback*

"_Hey! Stop messing around and _kill someone_! Are you a Death Eater or aren't you?" yelled someone Colette didn't know by name._

_It was just so hard to _kill _children, being as she herself was one up until last June. But this boy wasn't even seventeen yet. He had snuck back into the castle to fight along with the other _Dumbledore's Army_ people. She had even talked to this boy once. What was his _name_?_

"_Stupefy!" the boy yelled, a jet of red light shot out of his wand. Colette ducked out of the way easily._

"_Colin!" a smaller boy yelled, taking away his attention, now was her perfect chance to kill the kid._

"Dennis_! Go _back_! What are you…"_

"_Impedimenta!" Colette shouted at Dennis and Colin. Dennis was knock unconscious and Colin flew into a wall._

"_Reducto!" Colin yelled back aggressively. Again another easy one to dodge. From inside the castle there was an explosion._

"_Expelliarmus!" Colette yelled. Colin's wand flew up into the air, with a quick flick of her wand, Colin's exploded. She turned back to Colin who's horrorstruck face looked back, pleadingly at hers. She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill him._

"_Avada Kedavra!" she heard Bellatrix's shrill voice yell from behind her. "Stupid girl! Don't get in our way if you wont _kill_!" She went inside the castle to do more damage._

_Colette stared at Colin's lifeless body, and ran inside as Dennis began to stir._

_Inside was like a nightmare, people were fighting left and right. She constantly had to dodge spells and weave her way through the rubble from an exploded wall as she made her way into the Great Hall. Just a year ago she would have been eating dinner in here with her fellow Slytherin friends, laughing._

_That seemed like a decade ago._

"_Stupefy!" Wyatt noticed her Professor Flitwick yell. He was intently dueling a man, with dark hair and a pale, twisted face. Colette's father, Antonin Dolohov._

"_Avada Kedavra!" he hissed, just narrowly dodging the tiny man's spell._

"_Bombarda!" yelled Flitwick. It hit her father square in the chest and he went flying into the stone wall. Colette couldn't help it, she let out a shriek of rage._

"_Petrificus Totalus!" she hit her Professor dead on, he froze and fell to the ground._

_Quickly she ran over to her father. She gently touched his face, it was still warm. But there was blood leaking out onto the floor, getting in her black skirt and covering the floor in slick red._

_She cried out loud, not caring who heard her, while she cradled his limp, dead body in her arms._

*End Flashback*

Colette woke with a start. She hadn't dreamed about her father in a week, so she had been expecting it. About a month ago she would have cried her eyes out, but now…she was coming to terms with it.

Lazily she got up and changed into some black robes before going into the kitchen and summoning the house elf. While she was eating her eggs and toast happily, her owl, Travis, came fluttering in elegantly from outside. He was carrying a parchment envelope, Colette didn't recognize the handwriting.

Cautiously, Colette opened it. It was a formal letter written by the headmistress of Hogwarts. It told Colette that she was to expect Headmistress McGonagall around three, to discuss her future.

Colette sat frozen, she considered running for a brief moment. _What if she's come to get me sent to Azkaban?_ She hadn't been convicted because no one knew she had been a Death Eater, and the people that did, weren't alive anymore or were in jail. But perhaps her former professor knew.

She decided running would make her look guilty, and that she should simply hear what the Headmistress had to say.

She snapped her fingers for her house elf to clean up her breakfast and the house and left to change into something more formal.

Fifteen minutes before three she shooed her house elf away after checking everything was neat and clean. Then she set the living room so that two chairs sat near the unlit fireplace, for a comfortable place to talk.

Exactly three on the dot there was a sharp knock at the door, which startled Colette. She quickly scurried to the door and took a deep breath before opening it, reveling a rather old lady dressed in sapphire blue robes.

"Headmistress. Haven't seen you in a while," Colette chose to say instead of saying 'glad to see you again'.

"Indeed," she agreed as Colette invited her inside and to the chairs in her living room.

"Please, have a seat. Would you like some tea, perhaps?"

"Tea would be lovely, thank you," she said taking a seat as Colette's house elf scurried in with hot tea and left in a flash.

"As my letter said," the Headmistress began, "I am here to discuss your future, Miss Dolohov." Already Colette could tell she had a small grudge against her and her father. After all, Colette _was_ the one who cast the body-bind curse on Flitwick.

"Future ma'am? Where?" Colette asked, this had been on her mind since she had gotten the letter.

"At Hogwarts," the Professor explained.

A surge of regret swelled up in her when she heard that name. The last time she was there her father di…No she wouldn't think about that now.

"Ar-are you serious?" Colette finally asked after her silence. "You…you'd want me back there? After…"

"I am quite aware of your actions Miss Dolohov, how ever, you have committed no crimes that I am aware of," she said sternly. _Well…I was a Death Eater…I have a scar where the Dark Mark was too…_ She thought, but dared not utter. "And you have yet to complete your final year at Hogwarts, so I see no reason why you shouldn't be allowed to return."

She considered this for a moment. "I'm sorry Professor, I just…Well I don't know how well I would react to being back in the building where my f-father was k-killed…"

"I understand your reasons for uncertainty, but I am unsure if you have heard of the Ministries new law."

"New law?" Colette wondered. She didn't get the Daily Prophet.

"Yes, all witches and wizards are required to have a diploma from a wizarding school to hold a job," McGonagall recited.

"I…see," she didn't really _need_ a job or money. But feeling fulfilled…graduating from her seventh year of Hogwarts…the temptation was too much. "I'd like to return to Hogwarts ma'am."

The Headmistresses mouth twitched slightly, maybe a hint of a smile, and she nodded her head in agreement.

Colette slumped into the chair and sat unmoving, for an hour after her new headmistress left. Stupid….stupid. Why did she want to go to school again? Wasn't what's-his-name there? That git of a boy who's been called the "savior of the wizarding world" Harry Bloody Potter, and his rather tall and stupid side kick…Mr. Blood Traitor er…Ron Weasel?

Again, Travis flew in from the open kitchen window and hopped over into the living room. Colette gave another exasperated sigh…he was holding _another_ letter.

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so, i know this chapter's a little boring, and to be honest i'm not that happy with it either. but if i get umm lets say three reviews? i'll post the next chapter!

sorry if there was any typos, plz review and tell me where they are


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! back with another chapter!!!!!! wooh lol ok so i think this next chapter is a little....badly writen. it's forced, i tend to write better when i can feel the story and whatnot and i wasn't in the mood to write yesterday but did it for the sake of the people reading the story.

oh by the way this chapter is up due to the reviewer!!! thanks for reviewing soooo much, **_321K-Girl_**! i love getting reviews, they make my day

so without further ado...onto chapter two!!! (is it just me...or does that rhyme??)

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"Who's it from _this _time Travis?" Colette muttered darkly as she coaxed the owl over. As soon as she looked at the handwriting, she wished she hadn't. She gave a small sheik and threw the letter across the room, just to make herself feel slightly better about receiving a letter from an evil woman.

Granted she was her mother's closest friend, while her mother was alive. Plus, the woman always _seemed_ nice…just her freaking child was a ass. She had been dreading a letter from this woman after the tragic death of her mother. The part of the will that went to Colette said that _she_'d be getting a part of it too.

Colette sighed and went over to pick up the parchment envelope.

_Dear Colette Dolohov,_

_How've you been? I am happy to hear you haven't been sent off to Azkaban yet. I'm sorry to say, my husband wasn't so lucky._

"Well that's awfully straightforward…And why's she telling me about that psycho? Who _hasn't_ heard about that…" Colette mumbled, interrupting her own reading.

_I don't know if you've heard yet, but the Ministry's making every war participant return to Hogwarts, yes, it's true. It says that if you're twenty or younger you have to get a diploma for a job. But anyway, what I really wanted write to you about was your mother's will. As you know we were dear friends, and she's made a request in the part of the will I have received. Of course I think it's a marvelous idea, and so does Lucius._

"Well _what's_ such a good idea?!" Colette said aloud again.

_I would like to discuss it with you, perhaps tomorrow? Send me an owl as soon as you can, it's very important that you do!_

_Sincerely,_

_Narcissa Malfoy_

"What a strange woman…how come she comes across…in such a good mood in a _letter_ but then is the complete opposite in person?" Colette asked Travis. He hooted and scooted his way into the kitchen.

Colette crossed the room, her robes billowing as she did, and picked up some parchment and a quill.

"Hmmm…" Colette hummed as she thought of what to write. "Dear Cissy--" she was cut off by her own laughter. "No, no."

_Dear Mrs. Malfoy,_

_I'm sorry to hear about your husband._

"Well, not really…"

_I have heard about the Ministry's new law, and am already enrolled. I'd much rather not be though._

_I would rather enjoy a visit to your manor, just name a date. But in your letter, you forgot to mention what exactly my mother did request._

_Truly, _

_Colette Dolohov_

Colette snorted as she put down 'truly'_. _But what ever made Narcissa happy…

Colette sealed the envelope and had Travis fly it off. Then she stared blankly after him for about thirty minutes until her owl returned to her with the reply. She had nothing better to do. When he returned he swooped in and perched himself on Colette's shoulder.

"That was fast Travs…" Colette commented. The owl ruffled it's wings and glided off her shoulder after Colette removed the parchment envelope.

_Dear Colette,_

"Oh, so it's just Colette this time, huh?"

_I happen to be free tomorrow, so I shall see you around one o'clock. Please floo over._

_Sincerely,_

_Narcissa_

"Well that was awfully short…She still didn't say what my mother's will said either…" Colette threw the used parchment letters into the fire and watched them burn slowly. She was dreading tomorrow's visit to the Malfoy Manor. Firstly because she hated to floo. It was weird and totally unnecessary. Secondly because of her son.

When Colette and Draco were younger, say around six, they had been good friends. She had always wanted to visit him in the summers and holidays, and because their mothers were good friends, she normally got her wish. But when they were around seven some little argument had started between them and everything built up from there. She absolutely loathed him now. She suspected he didn't hate her much, but he was sure annoying. She hadn't seen him since her mother's funeral.

Colette turned over and fell onto the floor, abruptly rousing her from her pleasant dream. The soft midmorning sun shined in through her curtains. She sat up and glanced at her clock, it was eleven in the morning. She had two hours.

She quickly got up and ordered her house elf to fix her breakfast while she shot charms at her hair to make it shiny, black, and curly. Then she ran downstairs to shovel down her breakfast.

After eating her eggs and a bit of toast, Colette was never one to eat much food, she scrambled back upstairs to pick out something from her closet. Her closet itself was the size of a small room, it had a half wall designated to shoes alone, the other three walls were clothes. She walked over to the far corner of the room where she held her expensive robes.

"No green…" she tossed them aside. She never wore green, specifically emerald green, if she could help it; it was very in style these days, because it was the color of the Golden Boy/Savior of the Wizarding world's eyes.

"No yellow…" Way to bright for the black-silver-and-green color scheme of the Malfoy's manor.

Finally after sifting through most of her robes she picked our a very elegant pair of black robes. Of course. They draped over her very tastefully and flowed to the floor, so when she walked she looked like she was floating.

She smudged on makeup and checked the time again.

"Ok, time to go!" It was fifteen minutes to one.

She rushed back downstairs and quickly jumped into the floo after wrapping herself in a cloak specifically designed to keep ashes and soot from your clothes.

"Your mother always did arrive a little early too."

Colette coughed and look over at Narcissa, she was wearing black too. Maybe she should have worn a different color, this house needed some color to it.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Malfoy," Colette dipped her head slightly in a bow. A house elf came over to collect Colette's robes after Narcissa hugged her formally.

"My, you've grown quite a bit," she noted as she led her into the less formal of their two sitting rooms. Of course the manor had no _informal_ rooms, but this one was less formal. It had pictures of her son on the mantle over the fire, seven pictures to be exact. There was even one of Colette's mother, holding Colette as a three-year-old, and Narcissa with Draco standing in front of her.

"Tea?" Narcissa offered.

Colette sat down on a chair next to a mahogany and silver table. "Oh, please." Narcissa snapped her fingers and a small elf appeared with a tray and tea.

"What lovely robes," Narcissa said casually, that was indeed an honor--to be complemented on your clothes by Narcissa. She was extremely into fashion and always had to have the latest 'in' thing.

"Thank you. They were custom made by a French witch," Colette said feeling extremely awkward. "So…you wanted to discuss my mother's will?"

"Oh yes, I was just waiting for Draco, because it concerns both of you," Narcissa said simply. She sipped her tea.

"Oh," Colette felt a twinge of hate twist her gut at the name. "So, er, will he be returning to Hogwarts as well?" _Say no! Please say no!_

"Most defiantly," Narcissa replied, as if it were obvious. "Yes, he will need a good job in the future."

"Mother? You wanted to see me?" Draco said walking into the room. He was in black formal wear too.

_Speak of the devil…_

"Ah yes, please join us," Narcissa said pleasantly. Colette shot a small glare at Draco as he sat down in the third chair beside his mother.

"Dolohov," he nodded to Colette. In return she gave him an almost sickly sweet smile and sipped her tea. Narcissa looked oddly happy that Colette had smiled at Draco.

"As you both know, Colette, your mother gave me a request in the part of the will that was for me," Narcissa started. Colette and Draco nodded. He didn't seem to know where this was going anymore then she did.

"The reason I haven't told either of you sooner," she continued, "Was because I thought it would be better for you both to know at the same time." She paused, sipping her tea again. "I hope both of you will honor Soraya's wishes; by which I mean to say, I hope both of you will agree to this arranged marriage."

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hehe i'm so mean to Colette...she really does hate Draco so much, he almost sickens her.

please please please review! i'll love you forever!!!! (no rly i will)

next chapter might be up fairly quick if you people review!!!!

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	3. Chapter 3

Hey look it me! haha ok well here's chapter three! :D sorry it took a while but i recently discovered the awesomeness on Sims2. i had seen an ad about Sims3 and asked my mama to get it for me...and well she bought the wrong one. but that's sooo fine with me! cause i love it! haha anyway i have band camp this week so i wont be uploading for a while. good news though i will bring my lap top with my and try to write on my off time. (why yes band camp is an over night camp.) i get back saturday after noon btw.

so it seems i gots tuns of reviews! i almost screamed! you guys are the best! big thanks to _**StarnightX**_, _**di14**_, _**olk**_, and **_savsROCKSloud_**!! i love reviewers!! yup yup

on to the story!!

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Chapter Three

With a wave of her wand the rest of her clothes packed themselves neatly into the last of her trunks. She sat down and leaned against the wall of her closet and looked around for what was to be the last time. She was sad to leave; she didn't _want_ to leave. She was only doing this for her mother, only because she had to.

_The silence that followed Narcissa statement was so immense that you could have heard a pin drop._

"_Of course I will," Colette blurted out against her will. If it was for her mother, she would do anything. Draco agreed._

_Narcissa looked pleased and explained in depth about the marriage part of Soraya's will. She had even already set a date: August fourth._

"_Of course not this year," Narcissa stated. Colette let out a sigh of relief, August fourth was in a week._

"_So we will have your room ready for you in a couple days," Narcissa explained as she and Colette walked back to the fireplace in the foyer._

"_My room?" Colette asked startled._

"_Oh yes, we'll have you move in right away to get used to the house and they way things work around here. Plus I'll need you around to discuss wedding details and of course there's the matter of the Law to attend to as well…"_

"_What law?"_

"_I thought you knew about that one," Narcissa seemed mildly surprised. "The Ministry passed a law that everyone must have three kids, because the Wizarding population was depleted immensely after the war."_

"_Th-three?!" she was sure glad Draco wasn't in the room any more._

_Narcissa smiled and 'of course' and said her goodbye._

"_See you soon," Colette said before she vanished in a puff of green flame._

Colette let out a frustrated sigh as her house elf came into the room to take down the last of her trunks, which meant it was time to go.

"Three kids…_three _kids…three _kids_," Colette kept repeating to herself, trying to make the two tiny words sound attractive in some way. She didn't even want to imagine having three kids with Draco Bloody Malfoy. She shuddered at the thought.

About and hour passed as she went through her house looking for anything she might have left behind. She knew there was nothing, but she wanted to procrastinate.

She had been right, there was in fact nothing that she had left. But she was getting anxious so she decided to proceeded to the house that she'd live in for the rest of her life.

Colette slowly trudged down the stairs, her fingers trailing on the wall, into her living room where a bag of her, now incredibly small, trunks lie in wait.

"I guess this is goodbye, House," Colette mumbled as she gazed upon her light blue living room. She had always lived here, and will miss it greatly. She slowly picked up the bag and inhaled the sent of her home before she flooed away in a burst of green flame.

"You're getting ash on the carpet," Draco's voice drawled.

Colette scanned the room for Narcissa before replying, "Excuse me," in faux politeness.

"My mother is, unfortunately, not home at this time," he explained rather formally. Colette wrinkled her nose.

"You aren't always going to speak so….proper…are you?" she asked as she dusted herself off.

"Force of habit," he confessed. Colette responded with an "Oh."

"Shall I show you to your room?" he asked smoothly.

"You shall," Colette retorted. Draco held out his arm. "What are you, an escort?"

He smirked and she took it cautiously.

After many twists and turns down different rooms and hallways they finally arrived.

"This is my room," he gestured to a door. They stopped in front of the one right next to his.

"You put me next to you?"

"Of course," he replied with another smirk, and held the door open for her.

The room was a silvery color with maroon curtains and white finishes. In the center of the farthest wall, between two windows, there was a king sized bed. Against the wall to Colette's right there was a cheery desk with pictures of Colette and her mother and father smiling back at herself. She smiled warmly at the picture of her mother and father beaming and sitting happily on a bench in the garden at Colette's old house. Antonin may have killed a lot of people, but he was always kind to his family, he had loved Soraya very much. To the right of the desk was a pair of doors that Colette guessed led to the closet. On Colette's left there was a make-up station, complete with mirror, a book case with a comfortable looking maroon chair and the door that led to the bathroom.

"Like it?"

Colette jumped, she had completely forgotten that he was there.

"Did I scare you?" he asked, she could hear the amusement drip off every word.

Colette snorted. "No," she lied.

"Yeah, ok," he chuckled. "So do you like it?"

Colette couldn't help but answer truthfully. "Yes, I love it," she breathed. "That door," she pointed to the one that led to the bathroom. "Is that the one that…"

"Connects with by bathroom? Yes," he answered.

"_Why_?"

He shrugged, "I didn't design the house. Mother stayed in this room before she and my father were married."

"Oh," was all Colette said. She wandered over to the foot of the bed and sat herself down on the soft maroon bed covers. She gazed at Draco who was leaning against the door frame. He gazed back.

"Is this what the rest of my life is going to be like?" Colette asked after a long pause.

"What?"

"Us staring at each other…not saying anything," she explained. "It's a little awkward, considering we…dislike each other."

"I've never disliked you," he said. Colette let out an exasperated sigh and fell back onto the bed.

"Well…what ever. It's still awkward."

Draco came over and sat on the side of her bed. "You don't like me."

"No."

There was an awkward pause in the air.

"Do I annoy you?"

"Yes."

"What do I do that annoys you?"

"Everything."

"Does this annoy you?"

Colette was about to ask 'what' when Draco reached out and trailed one finger, softly, from her temple, down her cheek, across her jaw line, and to her chin. For some reason the skin he touched seemed to burn.

It took a minute but Colette finally answered, very quietly, "yes." glanced up at his face, he was annoyed.

"I'll have you yet Dolohov," he said.

_I'd like to see you try_. She thought sourly.

Over the course of the next few days Colette was either unpacking or talking to Narcissa about the wedding. She was also getting accustomed to the fairly large manor, but still need help getting to meals without getting lost.

Eventually August forth came. Colette and Draco would be married in exactly one year. She'd be Mrs. Colette Malfoy then. The name still sounded off to her.

Colette blinked awake as she was welcomed by the morning sunlight. It was still a light, soft light. Probably sometime around nine in the morning. She lazily turned over and was inches away from her fiancée's face.

She shrieked and jumped backwards, almost falling off the large bed. Draco smirked and sat up facing her. He was wearing dark green running pants with an elastic waistband and a loose white t-shirt. He hadn't even brushed his platinum blonde hair yet, so it hung, disheveled, in his eyes.

"G'morning," he said stifling a snicker. Colette glared at him.

"What the _hell_ are you doing in my bed?"

"Wishing you a happy pre-anniversary," he said casually. She slowly went back to a normal sitting position, thankful he wasn't going to do anything…weird. "Nice pajamas by the way…" he said commenting on her tight dark blue camisole and purple plaid pajama pants. She blushed a light pink and glared daggers at him. He looked back at her expectantly.

"Er…yeah. Happy pre-anniversary to you too…" she mumbled, turning a darker shade of pink. "You're weird."

"_That's_ not nice…" he said flirtatiously.

"Don't flirt we me," she ordered, he raised his eyebrows.

"So, fiancée, I was thinking we could go out for our pre-anniversary," Draco said cautiously, as if Colette were an armed bomb that would explode any second.

"G-go out?" she asked skeptically.

"Yeah, nothing much. We got our Hogwarts letters today. I was thinking maybe we could go to Diagon Ally and get our stuff…" He explained. Colette looked at him with an I'd-rather-die look. "_Or_ we could spend the day in my room, together. Your choice."

"Get out! That's it! Get outta my room!" she began hitting him with her pillow.

"Hey, _hey_!" he protested. She whacked him over and over. Finally he took up arms against her, with a pillow of course, and battled her.

Draco was victorious, he had launched himself toward her and she shoved a pillow in his face, laughing. Draco had never heard her laugh, it sounded like tiny bells.

"Um…Draco?" Colette said awkwardly. He realized he was on top of her and they were only separated by a pillow, their faces inches apart.

He immediately got off, the awkwardness still remained until Colette whacked him with a pillow again.

"That's for assaulting me," she explained innocently.

"Assaulting _you_? You attacked me with down pillows!" he protested sarcastically. She beamed.

"Only because you made an inappropriate comment…"

"Only because you wouldn't even agree to go with me to Diagon Ally!"

"Only because…" she looked almost upset. Their light mood melted within a matter of seconds.

"What's up Colette?" Draco asked. He couldn't stand tears for some reason, and it seemed to be on the verge of rain on planet Colette.

"It's just…sometimes people _recognize_ me. You know, as a Dolohov…and because of my father, they…well they sorta attack me…" she muttered.

"So you don't trust me?" Draco accused.

Colette looked reproachful, "how do you always take something that's nothing about you and make it _all_ about you?"

"No, what I meant was…well as your fiancée, I'd protect you from harm," he muttered. Draco Malfoy never blushed, ever. But if you asked Colette he had turned the very slightest shade of pink known to wizard kind.

"Well, I _do_ trust you. I…I'm just afraid…" Colette sighed.

"Too bad," he said lightly. "You lost the pillow fight, so your punishment is to go with me to buy school supplies latter today."

"Yeah all right, now seriously get _out_," she muttered. She didn't want to change with him in her room. It looked, for a minute, like he wouldn't leave. But he did eventually leave.

"Hey," Colette called. Draco turned to her.

"I'm going to need help getting to the dining room for breakfast…" she was pink again. The last thing she had wanted to do was ask _him_ for help…but he would have to do.

Draco smirked.

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ok, so like it? i feel like somehow i'm letting everyone down with each chapter i put up...i dunno it's just a feeling. hopefuly see you sunday with an update!! lots of reviews and i'll love you!!


	4. Chapter 4

Hey! I'm back! Band camp was tiring...and i'm really really really sorry, i didn't have enough room for my lap top! i'm a bad writer! so i just finished this now, and it's 3:08am so i'm working for all of yoou. But when i got back from camp i was so happy! even more reviews! i lovee you guyss! lol so lets give a round of clapps to **_Lady Valadhiel_**, **_savsROCKSloud_**, **_di14_**, **_StarnightX_**, **_TwilightHorseGal_**, and **_lillianangel_**

So i did my best, once again. Enjoy the chapter!

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Chapter Four

"Are you ready yet?" Draco asked impatiently. He'd been waiting for thirty minutes for Colette.

The door opened abruptly.

"Yes," she said curtly with an icy glare.

Draco smirked, "What took you so long?" She pushed him out of the way.

"You don't even know where your going," Draco reminded her as she stalked off on her own.

"Wrong way," he added when she turned left at the end of the hall. She huffed and immediately turned around and glowered at him.

Draco smirked arrogantly and offered his arm.

"You just _love_ annoying me, don't you?" she muttered. Draco chuckled but said nothing.

"I _hate_ flooing," Draco muttered to himself as he stepped out of the fireplace at the Leakey Cauldron.

"There are a lot of things I hate," Colette replied darkly, scanning the room for anyone who might recognize her. She didn't remember meeting anyone in here before, but she and her dad had been in the paper, for some reason, a while ago. So she couldn't be sure. Sure enough someone glared at her. Colette went stiff and tried to hide behind Draco, who also got cold stares.

"You're acting like a scared little Hufflepuff," Draco said once they reached the courtyard. Ignoring him, Colette tapped the bricks and they stepped into Diagon Alley.

A year ago it had been very deserted and cold, but now it was back to being quite busy, with people lingering to talk and stare into shop windows.

They shopped around, going into Gambol & Japes because Colette loved joke items, Quality Quidditch Supplies because both Draco and Collette's eyes were caught by the new broom on display, and of course Gringotts bank for money. They spent a good deal of time shopping for school supplies, and Colette even said she enjoyed spending time with Draco.

"Can we go into Knockturn alley?" Draco asked as the came out of the stationary store. "I'll understand if you don't want to accompany me," he added because she looked nervous.

"I'll wait in Flourish and Blotts for you, okay?" Collette offered. She didn't want to be seen going into there, it could only hurt her reputation.

Draco nodded, "Alright, I wont be too long." And went off, turning into the darker alley.

Colette turned around and faced an odd looking boy. Colette knew who he was, but he looked different. He had fought in the war, and it had effected him greatly. Neville Longbottom was scowling at her and clutching the _Daily Prophet_ in his hands. A picture of Colette was on the page, glaring. The article was on Death Eater's families, and suspected Death Eaters.

"Longbottom," Collette greeted. Neville's glare was like ice. "Is there something you need, Longbottom? Or are you intentionally trying to inconvenience me?" Colette sounded a lot braver then she felt. She was extremely afraid at the moment, and was contemplating running after Draco.

"I saw you," he said, his voice was hard. "Attack Colin and Dennis."

Colette groaned internally, she _felt_ like a scared little Hufflepuff.

"So what're you going to do? Attack me?" Colette retorted. He was certainly contemplating it.

"I will. You're a Death Eater, and you deserve to be locked up for killing Colin," he said strongly. He definitely _was_ a different boy now.

"I didn't kill Colin!" she shouted. Luckily no one was near the entrance to Knockturn Alley at the moment.

"I. Don't. Believe. You," he said through gritted teeth.

"Well believe it Longbottom, I didn't have the _guts_ to kill a child, ok? I'd be a failure of a Death Eater if I was one. If I _was_ you'd be dead already," Colette's voice was stronger now too, because she was confidently telling the truth. Neville drew out his wand, Colette froze.

"Prove that you aren't a Death Eater," he said firmly.

Colette smirked, "I can do that."

Neville looked surprised as she drew back her sleeve, reveling a scared but tattoo-less arm. She smirked. Neville didn't know that the Dark Mark was forcefully expelled from every Death Eater when the Dark Lord died, leaving a scar where it had been.

Pale arms twisted around Colette waist, she jumped.

"Trying to kill my fiancée, Longbottom?" Draco asked, his voice held a very unattractive arrogance to it, but Colette felt safe in his arms.

"You two Death Eaters hooking up then?"

"I _just_ showed you I never was a Death Eater, I've got no tattoo," Colette said icily.

"Well I know _he's_ a Death Eater, he tried to kill Dumbledore," Neville sounded so confident.

"Think you're so brave, huh Longbottom?" Colette heard Draco chuckle darkly and then turned and started to walk away, not seeing Longbottom as any kind of threat.

"I leave you alone for a couple minutes, and you get threatened…" Draco said in faux disappointment.

"I'm sor_ry_," she said sarcastically as they walked to Flourish and Blotts together, Draco still had one arm around her waist, protectively.

Colette didn't know why, but she had a strong impulse to reach up touch his pale face. Draco, of course, would have no problem with this, but Colette could imagine the smirk on his annoying arrogant face if she had gone through with it. Even so, the amount of butterflies in her stomach multiplied every time she thought about his arm that lingered so causally around her waist.

"You didn't even have your _wand_ out," he said, a hint of real worry in his voice.

"That would've made him even _more_ likely to attack me," Colette said, as if it were obvious.

"Well, you could've at _least_…"

"Shut it, ok? I mean…I didn't…sorry, really I am," she said softly. She felt bad, if she really had caused him so much worry. Draco smirked. "I hate you…" Colette muttered. Draco grinned.

"Gee, think we got enough stuff?" Draco said sarcastically as they walked out of the fireplace, tired from trekking around all day shopping.

"Nope," Colette smiled. Draco groaned.

"It's almost five woman…we were there all day!" he complained.

"I never would've pegged you as the type of person who complains," Colette said, each word dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm not," he said offended.

"Yeah _sure_. And I'm a hippogriff…" Colette chuckled.

"Good," he said suddenly, in an approving tone.

"Um, what's good?"

"We're finally getting along," he smiled at her. For some reason his smile annoyed her.

"What, was 'mummy' complaining that the marriage wasn't working out?" she asked harshly. He looked surprised.

"You're just saying that, because I pointed out how well we were getting along," he said in an accusatory tone. They narrowed their eyes at each other.

"How rude! Your smile was just annoying _that's_ all. _Sorry_ if you intentionally annoy me," she retorted acidly. She had forgotten how annoying he could be.

"I don't _purposely _annoy you," he said coldly. He was surprised how cold they were acting with each other, compared to about two minutes ago.

"So you admit to annoying me?" she yelled her voice getting higher.

"Yeah I do! You annoy me too!"

"_How do I annoy you_?" she hollered, their shopping bags all but forgotten.

"You just consented to the marriage! Without _any_ questions what so ever! Did you think that maybe I didn't want to enter into this contract?" now he was yelling too.

"Well why didn't you just--"

"How would that make me look? To my mother?"

"There you go, always thinking about your self image again. I did it for _her_. For my mother! _Not for me_!"

"You're such a hypocrite!" Draco was seething now.

Colette looked taken aback. After thirty seconds her eyes welled with tears and she ran up towards the direction she thought her room was in. She had gone the wrong way. Draco glowered at the spot she had disappeared to for a while, waiting for his anger to fade.

He snapped his fingers.

"Yes, master?" a stout House Elf answered, appearing with a _crack_.

"Take this to my room please," he ordered briskly, then set off in the direction Colette had run off in.

Colette ran and turned in so many different directions that she was completely and hopelessly lost. She didn't care though, as long as she was alone. She sat in a corner and covered her face with her hands, sobbing.

She wasn't crying because Draco had been wrong, but because he'd been right. She wanted people to see her as a perfect little girl who did as her mother told her to, just as Draco did. It had been a very silly argument.

"Lettie, what _are_ you doing in the food pantry?"

Colette looked up to see her fiancée standing there, all hatred and arrogance washed from his pale face.

She turned as red as a tomato "L-lettie?"

"It's a pet name, because saying 'Colette' all the time sounds to formal," he shrugged. His voice was soft and indifferent.

"That's not fair, then _I_ get to give _you_ a pet name," she said, wiping her eyes clear of tears. He looked a bit surprised.

"Ok, _sure_, what ever…" he mumbled. She chuckled halfheartedly.

"Um anyway…well…I, er…I'm sorry for yelling at you," he said after a pause. It was now Colette's turn to be shocked.

"You're _apologizing_?"

"Yes," Draco snapped, "If you don't want it, I'll take it back!"

"No! It's mine now," Colette said coldly.

They both laughed and Draco made his way over to sit next to her.

"You were right you know," Colette muttered after a while.

"Really?" Draco's voice had a hint of surprise. He cautiously put his arm around her shoulders. He was waiting for her to shrug it off or get annoyed with him again. But she didn't, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I _am _a hypocrite…" she sighed after a minute of relaxed pause. "I mean, I never even second guessed myself when I consented to this damn marriage. I wanted to behave like mother wanted me to…but she's gone now. I don't have to do what she wants anymore."

"Some how I don't think my mother would've taken 'no' for an answer," he speculated. "She probably wouldn't have even taken an 'I'll think about it' either…"

After a while of unimportant conversation the two just sat there. Draco took in the calm atmosphere of their relationship, which would probably evaporate by tomorrow. He felt oddly relaxed in the dusty corner of the secluded food pantry, hopefully no house elf would come in to ruin the mood.

When half an hour passed by Draco decided he had, had enough of the room of food and glanced down at Colette's face. She was asleep.

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so um it's now 3:15 am...fanfiction is annoying me to no end...grrr... but anyway!!! if you liked it i'd LOVE to hear it! i love all of my reviewers!!!! would it be better if i replyed to your reviews, or no? i really don't now...i guess if anyof you wanna know somethings or if somethings confusing you, no's the time to ask! also tell me if something doesn't make sence. i really wanna know how i'm doing so i don't let anyone down!!!


	5. Chapter 5

hey! i'm really really really really really really sorry i didn't update when i said i would...and now school started to i put this chapter up. it's probally not the best chapter because i pushed myself to write it...and i really don't think it's good enough...oh well. please enjoy!

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Chapter Five

Colette was in a meadow and it was dark. The sky was deep dark blue as it hung above her, with the speckles of stars barely cutting through the darkness. Her black cloak blended in with her surroundings so well, it was as if she was wearing an invisibility cloak.

The smell of the grass wafted over to her, it smelled as if had just rained. There was even drops of water on the ground around her.

This feeling of heavy darkness was how her dreams used to be before her mother had died.

As if someone drew the curtain from a window, it became dawn. The golden red sun just peaked above the horizon casting glorious colors upon the sky. The light itself seemed to have washed away her black clothing and now bathed her in a pale yellow dress.

Pared with her black hair, she instantly thought of a bumble bee, and one appeared buzzing around, not far from her standing place.

Then her whole world began to waver, and mist seemed to gather and obstruct her vision: she was waking up.

Colette woke pleasantly from her dream and lay where she was, not moving an inch. This behavior had been from her Death Eater days where she was taught to observe her surroundings with out being noticed.

Well for one thing she was on a bed. But the smell was wrong. She was dressed, from what she could tell, in the same clothes she had worn before she fell asleep, and there was also someone close to her, on her left side, who wasn't moving much. Cautiously she turned onto her right side and opened her eyes just enough so she could see.

This was not her room.

This room had dark green walls and a black carpet. The bed she was on seemed to have black sheets as well, making for a rather cold appearance. But Colette did not feel cold at all, or uncomfortable.

Fully awake now, she opened her eyes and looked over to the nightstand. There was nothing but a lamp and a picture frame but she couldn't make out who was in the picture.

Having waited long enough Draco turned over to face Colette's back and propped himself up on his elbow.

"I know you're awake," he said smugly. He watched as Colette's body tensed up. She turned onto her back again and stared up at him.

"How'd you know?"

"You don't move in your sleep," he said simply, with a small smirk on his face.

"Oh," she muttered. Then her gaze drifted to the ceiling. It was not green, like she thought it would be. It was the sky. Her eyes took in the familiar dark, deep blue that was the night sky. Every speck of a star was a bit brighter then in her dream, but held a rather undisputed feel to them unlike the dream like stars in her dream.

"Like it? It's the same enchantment as in the Great Hall," Draco explained. "Except I almost always have it show night. They daytime light doesn't mix well in this room…"

"Yeah…it's really pretty," Colette breathed. Then she must have come to her scenes.

"What the hell am I doing in your bed?" she yelled, sitting up rather abruptly.

Draco's face fell into a frown, and he sat up to look at her.

"You fell asleep on my shoulder last night around six…" he explained. He was obviously let down that her mood changed.

"So you put me in your bed?" she asked skeptically.

"Your room was locked," he said with an innocent expression. "Plus we slept in _your_ bed one night so I thought we should sleep in mine too."

"I di…you slept in there all night that time?" She yelled again. "And anyway there are _two_ ways of getting into my room. Plus, you know, you have a _wand_ mister wizard!"

She didn't let him respond, she turned to her right and made to get out of the bed when the picture on the night stand caught her eye.

"How'd you get this picture?"

The picture was of six-year-olds Colette and Draco grinning and waving rather enthusiastically. They were on a swing in Colette's back yard, beneath to large maple trees that cast splotches of shade onto the kids.

"_Mama! Mama! Can you help me?"_

"_What's up Lettie?" Colette's mother, Soraya, asked the bouncy little girl tugging at her hand._

"_Push me on the swing! I wanna jump off and see how far I can go," she beamed. Her mother consented with a smile and was led over to the swing._

"_Drake, get off," Colette ordered. The boy wrinkled his nose at her._

"_Why?"_

"Because_, I'm going to become a professional jumper one day, not you. I need all they practice I can get!"_

"_Jumper? Can I be one too?" he asked, the six-year-old logic making perfect sense in his mind._

_The mini Colette though about it then beamed again, "Yes!" She jumped onto the swing._

"_Lettie, Draco, look over here!" Colette's father called. The six-year-olds beamed and waved at the man with the camera._

"That? Mother got a copy of that too, along with a bunch of pictures given to her in Soraya's will," Draco explained as he moved to sit down next to her and picked the frame up.

"Ahh, we were so cute as kids," Colette sighed. "I was cuter…"

"Yeah, sure. You couldn't even pronounce my father's name until you were like ten," Draco pointed out. Colette snorted.

"Shut up, Drake…What?" Draco was looking at her with a dubious expression.

"Well that's where you got 'Lettie' from. When we were kids, so I don't see why I can't call you Drake." she sighed. "_Saying Draco all the time sounds to formal_," she added mockingly.

"Ha ha," he said dryly as Colette stood up.

_I'm free! I'm free! _Colette thought enthusiastically.

"No more Draco! No more Draco!" she chanted to herself as she got dressed.

Draco huffed, "For, like, four hours…that's not very nice."

"I've been stuck with you _all summer_ basically, I'm just excited I get to see my friends," she said beaming and twirling in front of the mirror. "You're just jealous because you can't come!"

Draco snorted and laid back on her bed and Colette picked up her wand and hurried to the door, but stopped in the frame.

"You're not going to see me off?"

"No."

A small stab of pain shot through Colette as she walked to the foyer where the fire place was.

_Why am I feeling this? It's not like I _care_ or anything…_ she thought as she flooed off to the Leakey Cauldron.

It was awfully stuffy in the pub, and Colette wished she had worn a tank top and shorts instead of the black long sleeved shirt and shorts she was wearing now; but the scar of the dark mark made her feel overly self conscious.

Colette and her friends were going to meet here, but Colette was about fifteen minutes too early, so she grabbed a table and a butterbeer and waited. She casually watched the last minute shoppers scurry in and out of the pub, feeling rather dark and sneaky in this corner table. She felt very anxious…maybe she was developing a fear of crowds or something.

After about five minutes three seventh year students flashed into the stuffy pub, the girl had long, frizzy hair while one boy had red hair and the other a rather disheveled black mop. They scanned the pub, maybe it was Colette's glare, or her ominous look sitting in the corner all by herself, or the fact she was in the paper again two days ago (well not her herself, but her father. She was mentioned though); but Harry Potter shot daggers back at her with a rather intimidating glare.

Feeling rather threatened, her adrenaline pumping through her blood, she gave a rather nasty smirk and stood up. Golden Boy and friends tensed, but Colette had wanted that. Her smile softened as she stepped up to hug a friend of hers who had stepped past the trio.

"_Colette_, what on Earth are you doing?" she chuckled as the two girls sat down, glaring at the three seventh years exiting out the pub. Every now and then one would glance over his shoulder, returning an icy scowl.

"Are you trying to start a fight with Mr. Golden Boy?"

"No, no. Don't be silly, Ruta," Colette said with mock horror. Ruta laughed.

"Well, I think you were just provoking them. Colette, hun, you'd never start a fight with The-Awesomely-Fantastic-Group-of-Three now would you?"

Colette put on an innocent face, Ruta snorted.

"The-Awesomely-Fantastic-Group-of-Three? Did Broddy make that up?"

"Yes, my brother is ever the creative one, isn't he?" Ruta said sarcastically. Broddy spent most of his time locked up in his room, he was a spell inventor.

"How's he doing? Make any good ones recently?"

Ruta's face fell, "He had an accident recently. He's still being held in the hospital."

"Oh Ruta, _Ruta_ I'm so sorry! What happened?"

"He was working on a spell that turned your head backwards, _Caput Tergiversatio_ I believe, and hadn't gotten it correctly so the counter spell didn't really work correctly either. It was a horrifying sight…"

"Jeeze, I love Broddy, and no offence, but he can be an idiot sometimes," Colette sighed. Ruta chuckled and muttered some words of agreement.

"Speaking of idiots…it's already time. Where is everyone?" Ruta asked.

"Hmm…" Colette sighed. Something was up.

"Oh hey! What's that?" Ruta pointed outside the window. Colette played along, not really understanding what was going on, and whipped her head around to see. There was a strange woman holding a baby with a Galleon on it's head, several third years smearing nose grease on the Quality Quidditch Supplies' store front window to get a better look at the new broom, and The-Awesomely-Fantastic-Group-of-Three were walking into the Apothecary. Nothing special.

Colette turned around again.

"SURPRISE!"

Colette shrieked and fell onto the ground.

"Congratulations!" yelled Colette's friend, Joli. Her dark blonde hair flowed down to her waist, in beautiful ringlets.

"Yeah, Congrats," Delvin, a boy with curly black hair, added as he helped Colette up.

"Wh-wh-wh-_what was that for_?" Colette asked, she was completely flustered.

"It's your, Congratulations-On-The-Engagement party," Aldrik, a boy with dusty auburn color hair explained. Joli, Delvin and Aldrik scooted into the booth.

"Where's the cake?" Ruta said.

"Zachary's bringing the cake…" Joli muttered.

"_Zach_? You put _Zach_ in charge on something this important?" Ruta said appalled. Colette snorted.

"He's still sixteen, so he has to go buy it from the store," Delvin scoffed.

"Aw guys, that's not very fair," Colette sighed.

"It builds character," Aldrik commented.

"And muscles," Joli piped in.

"Sorry! Sorry!" a boy with ruffled blonde hair called as he scuttled up to the table. "I'm really sorry, Colette."

Colette laughed, "S'ok Zach. S'fine."

"Cake!" Delvin said, with a wave of his wand the cake was sliced into pieces and in a few seconds everyone had a nice helping of chocolate cake.

"So, what's he like? What's he like?" Joli and Ruta chanted together.

"W-who?" Colette said mid chew.

"_Draco Malfoy_ other wise known as your fiancée!" squealed Joli.

"Ah…_him_," Colette sighed.

"What? What, what, what, what, _what_?" Joli repeated. "_Colette_, I can feel you annoyance…"

"Ah shut it Miss Empathic Abilities," Delvin ordered as he helped himself to another slice of cake.

"No really, what?" Aldrik asked.

Colette snorted. "D-damn pride is all. I don't know how much you guys know…"

"Nothing," all five of Colette's friends said at once.

"Just that he's your fiancée!" Joli added.

"It's an arranged marriage…" Colette sighed.

"Ah ha! I win! Fork it over Zach," Delvin gloated. Zach sighed and searched his pockets for the three galleons he now owed Delvin.

"Del shut up!" Ruta hissed, then turned back to Colette.

"Although it does make sense," Joli commented. "I mean, you've always hated the guy…"

"Not _always_," Colette corrected. "Ever since I was six."

"Ok, so how was this thing decided?" Ruta pressed.

Colette explained about the arranged marriage and all it's details.

"So it's your _mother_'s fault! No way! I've always liked your mom," Joli whined.

Colette giggled, "You still can like her. I still love her."

If Joli was a dog her ears would've popped up.

"So does that mean you _like_ living with the Malfoys?" Zach asked cautiously.

"No!" Colette snapped. "Try living in a house where you can't even get to breakfast without a guide! Or having your fiancée sneaking into your bed and…" Colette trailed off. The table had gone silent. "Oops…"

"I'll kill him," Aldrik muttered darkly.

"He _what_?" Joli and Ruta asked with shocked faces.

"Um no. Al you'll do no such thing…it's not really as bad as it seems…" Colette said, trying to defend Draco.

"So he's only done it once?" Delvin asked skeptically.

"I…er…well technically yeah," Colette sighed. She was a terrible liar.

"_Technically_," Aldrik said, his voice was cutting. Joli had once called him over protective…but that was an understatement.

Colette winced, "Ah, um…well yeah."

Joli cleared her through and Colette turned pink.

"Well he _did_ manage to get me to spend the night in his bed…" Colette explained slowly. Somehow that had come out wrong.

"So did you, _ya know_," Delvin made an inappropriate hand gesture.

"Dev!" Joli said repulsed, she shoved him so he fell of the bench.

"_No_," Colette said, she was now a bright red.

"I'll _kill _him…"

"Al! No!" Colette protested. With Aldrik, he was almost always serious.

"Just _hex_ him, Al. I wanna get a piece of him too," Ruta commented.

"_Guys_ come on! I didn't mind, really! All we did was sleep…" Colette protested.

"Colette, come on. He's taking advantage of your kindness!" Joli said.

"I'm not nice to him at all!"

"No, you're a pushover," Delvin corrected.

"I am _not_!"

"Well Lettie, you kind of are…" Ruta agreed.

"I'm not!"

"Yeah," Joli said.

"I'm not! _What's with you guys_!"

"Ok guys, stop now," Aldrik warned.

"But it's so much _fun_ to tease Colette!" Joli explained with a sigh.

"Yeah, she's just so cute," Ruta giggled.

"Hmph," Colette said crossing her arms, her face still flushed. "You guys don't know anything…"

"Aw Lettie, we're sorry," Delvin said. Zach had wanted no part of the conversation.

"Yeah, let's go shopping! We each have to get you a present anyway," Ruta suggested.

"Shopping…ugh," Delvin sighed.

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hey! so i hope you liked it, and i'm sorry if you didn't...and i hate to say this but the next one probally wont be up for another month...but it's the train next chapter so i'm moving the story along. OH! and tell me what you think you her friends. i needed other characters other then draco for her to talk to over the summer and so they weren't just random people, i wove them into the plot! lol so as always, please tell me what you think! you reviews keep me writing!


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